Freedom, Humanity, and Other Delusions (Death's Handmaiden Book 3) Page 17

‘Which is possible,’ Nava said. ‘There will be patrols popping in now and then, though…’ She checked the time on her terminal. ‘… Mm, I’m not expecting anyone for half an hour or so. What did you want to talk about? The threshold shift thing?’

  ‘That’s… part of it.’

  Nava gave the illusion an appraising look. ‘Trudy, I don’t appreciate it when exceptionally intelligent people with information I assume is important beat around the bush.’

  ‘Oh! “Beat around the bush.” I know that idiom. It means you think I’m not getting to the point.’

  ‘And now you’re dodging the question.’

  ‘I… This may not be entirely comfortable as a topic of conversation.’

  Nava paused, waiting, but that did not seem to give the Harbinger the hint. ‘I assume this is important, as I said. Perhaps you could illuminate me? If you haven’t noticed, I don’t scare easily.’

  ‘No. I have a spell I use in biological analysis. I think you’d call it Analyse Species. It sequences the genome of a subject.’

  ‘Ah, so you noticed the artificial chromosomes in my DNA.’

  ‘You know about them?’

  ‘I know they’re there. No one but the people who made them knows what they do.’

  ‘Sort of. They weren’t made. They were… harvested. They’re Harbinger chromosomes, Nava.’

  This time, Nava was silent for several seconds. ‘That’s not possible. You’ve made a mistake.’

  ‘Genetics isn’t my speciality, it’s true, but I know those genes. Even the amino acids are right. And I know it’s not possible. It’s ridiculous. How could someone possibly have got their hands on Harbinger DNA? It’s not even as simple as that. They’ve taken Harbinger DNA and transplanted it into human cells and made it work. Do you have even the smallest idea of how hard that would be?’

  ‘The smallest idea? Probably. Yes. My biology isn’t normal. Drugs can have weird effects on me. I’m probably lucky that alcohol and coffee have more or less normal effects. There has to be some really weird engineering in my cells to make it all work.’

  ‘That is a considerable understatement. However impossible it is, you have Harbinger genes in your genome. Whole chromosomes.’

  Another silence. This one was shorter. ‘Do you know what they do?’

  ‘I’m not a geneticist, as I said. I can tell you some of the things those chromosomes do in a Harbinger. That may not hold true for a modified human. They’re mostly concerned with neurological and sensory development. One of them has a lot of genes which code for immune system elements.’

  ‘So… That would seem to indicate they’re there to enhance my sorcery abilities and my lifespan. I have better sorcery abilities than typical humans, and I’ll live longer, if I don’t get killed somehow. I know that. I was told that. My cognitive speed is faster than normal too.’

  ‘That all fits. The genes are expressing nerve cells with higher firing rates and transmission speeds. They must be creating suitable regions in the brain for better handling of quintessence and Q-field integration. Your immune system probably contains some of the factors we integrated to prevent diseases, cancers, and various other metabolic problems. Overall, those factors would likely result in an enhanced lifespan.’

  ‘Okay. Am I likely to exhibit any other Harbinger traits? Am I going to turn blue? Or start walking on my toes?’

  ‘In those heels–’

  ‘You know what I mean.’

  ‘It would seem that your homeotic genes are entirely human. You shouldn’t exhibit any physical traits associated with Harbingers.’

  ‘Homeotic?’ A flicker of a memory from a dream surfaced. ‘What does that mean?’

  ‘Homeotic genes are those which control your morphology. They control how you grow. Give you bilateral symmetry with your arms and legs and eyes in the right places. At a basic level, they make you look like a human, not a fly or a cat or a Harbinger.’

  ‘That’s something of a relief then.’ Pause. ‘Trudy, I’d prefer to keep this private for now. Please don’t tell Carina. I won’t be mentioning it to my friends. For now. When I’ve worked out what I think of it myself, I’ll reconsider.’

  ‘That’s fine with me. I’m not sure what to make of it myself. The only way I can think of that someone could have got that DNA is from a live Harbinger. There could be a live Harbinger out there somewhere!’

  ‘Mm. That would be… I think it would probably cause all sorts of problems. We’ll keep it quiet. At least until we know what we want to do about it.’

  236/6/32.

  Courtney unfolded her ketcom’s screen, tapped at something, and then peered at the message she had just received. ‘Oh. I just got an invite to Kyle’s graduation ball.’

  ‘Graduation ball?’ Nava asked. They were variously doing homework, personal study, and SSF paperwork around the lounge. Nava had decided she could work from there for this afternoon, though she was using her own ketcom to monitor for problems with the afternoon patrols.

  ‘Officer training ends with a dinner and dance. Part of the training is etiquette, so the ball is sort of a final graduation exercise. It’s also an excuse for various officers to take their partners out for a meal on the ASF.’

  ‘Right. And when is this happening?’

  ‘It’s–’

  ‘Sunday, July twelfth,’ Melissa said without looking up from her work. ‘About two weeks.’ Courtney frowned at her and, apparently, Melissa detected this through ESP because she went on. ‘I got an invitation to be Naomi’s plus one. I’m not totally sure about going, but I guess if you are…’

  ‘I am,’ Courtney said. ‘Aside from anything else, Kyle will get a week off before he’s deployed. We can all come back here together.’

  ‘That means staying overnight. I’m not sure–’

  ‘They’ll provide accommodation,’ Mitsuko said. ‘Married officers can have their partners stay with them, but they don’t allow that kind of thing for unmarried officers. Sorry, Courtney.’

  ‘I can cope for one night,’ Courtney replied.

  ‘Well, I’ll need a suitable dress,’ Melissa said, presenting her next objection.

  ‘Not a problem,’ Mitsuko replied.

  ‘I’ve seen the kind of dresses you and Nava come up with. I’d rather have something that isn’t going to leave my boobs hanging out.’

  ‘I am capable of matching wardrobe to an occasion. A little flesh will be expected, however.’

  Melissa sagged. ‘I know.’

  ‘If this is going to become serious,’ Nava said, ‘you should get used to this kind of event. Naomi’s a Himura. They have around the same status as the Trentons. That means social events. Naomi’s obviously not aiming for a central role within the family, but his partner would be expected to entertain.’

  ‘I know.’ Melissa sagged a little further.

  ‘Naomi has clan rank,’ Mitsuko said. ‘It’s worse than you might think.’

  A whimper came from Melissa. ‘I just don’t see what he sees in a nobody from Avorna.’

  ‘That is almost certainly one of the things he sees in you. Most of the young women he’s likely been targeted by know exactly what he should see in them. A modest girl is bound to be a novelty. A refreshing novelty.’

  ‘Oh. Well. Looks like I’m going. This should be fun.’

  236/7/5.

  Melissa soared upward into the sky, searching out the dot which was Nava and aiming for it. She was grinning the whole way.

  ‘Ten minutes,’ Nava said when Melissa was alongside her. ‘I told you that Gather Quintessence would give you more time in the air.’

  ‘You did. I knew it would. Now I just need to work out how to have two spells in my head at once and I can stay up here forever. Like you.’

  ‘It makes all kinds of extended sorcery use possible. And being able to have two active spells is a very useful skill.’

  ‘I know that. I also know it’s not easy. And you can do four of them at once. That has to tak
e some amazing mental gymnastics.’

  Nava gave a shrug, which was an odd sort of movement when hanging in the air at a thousand metres or so, watching the ground below. ‘I suspect my weird genetics help. I’ve always been able to, well, think faster than other people.’

  ‘I know I’m not supposed to envy you, but I envy you. I won’t hang around for long. I know you like your alone time. I just wanted to show you your constant nagging to learn this spell has paid off.’

  ‘I do not nag.’

  ‘You don’t?’

  ‘No. I do something else which may, to the uninitiated, seem like constant nagging. And you don’t have to go so soon after you went to all the trouble to get up here. I can cope with you being here until you need to go back down.’

  Melissa smirked. ‘Oh, thank you. I feel so wanted.’

  ‘I persuaded you to learn Gather Quintessence, hence your ability to pester me more often when I’m flying. Doesn’t that indicate that I’m willing to entertain your presence?’

  Melissa shook her head and floated over to lie in the air beside Nava. ‘That did not sound better at all.’

  Admiral Aurora Trenton Advanced Training Centre, Alliance City, 236/7/12.

  Apparently, Aurora Trenton Sonkei had been one of the first admirals of the ASF and had essentially formulated the curriculum for basic and advanced training in the organisation. Naomi had supplied the information when Melissa had asked about it. The base handled officer training as well as several specialist training activities and was known either as the ATC or as “Aurora’s Base.” The name you used tended to depend on how official you were being.

  It was a large, somewhat sprawling facility on the outskirts of Alliance City surrounded by high fences and accessed via three gates which were guarded. Guarded, but generally open. The reception centre was where the ball would be taking place, and it was situated right beside the main gate. Melissa and Courtney were staying in a hotel just outside the base, and they were met just inside the gate by their partners for the evening, who then escorted them into the building.

  Externally, the building was grey and rather institutional. Internally, things were a little different, especially in the ballroom and dining room. Both were vast and done up in baroque mouldings and draped curtains. There was a lot of dark blue and silver on display. Somehow, Melissa had expected more black and gold to go with the uniforms. She had not expected to have her name announced at the door to the dining hall.

  ‘Second Lieutenant Naomi Himura Sonkei,’ the chief petty officer said in a voice quite loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear it, ‘and Miss Melissa Connelly Avorn.’

  Melissa felt her cheeks heating as, arm in arm with her giant suitor, she continued on to find their seats.

  ‘Second Lieutenant Kyle Maynard House and Miss Courtney Martell Garavain.’ The announcement sounded from behind them as Kyle and Courtney followed them in.

  ‘We should be sitting together,’ Naomi commented. ‘They do take preferences into account.’

  ‘That’s something,’ Melissa replied. ‘You know, I’m not really used to making small talk with perfect strangers who happen to be important.’

  ‘It’s unlikely you’ll need to worry too much about that. We’ll probably be sitting beside other recent graduates, not generals and vice admirals.’

  ‘Oh. Good. Am I going to have to worry about which cutlery is right?’

  Naomi’s lips quirked, very much as though he was trying to suppress a broad grin. ‘We might be officers, Mel, but we’re not some sort of ancient aristocracy. Cutlery choice is a factor in our training, but it’s mostly recognising the difference between steak and fish knives. I’ll help if there’s anything too complex involved.’ Pause. ‘And you won’t need my help.’

  ‘You say that now…’

  The dining hall was laid out with circular tables set for eight. There was also a long table at one end where the VIPs would be sitting. Melissa had a sudden rush of horror at the thought that someone might have decided that Naomi was a VIP, but she was quickly disabused of that worry. It was probably impossible to always arrange it with interspersed male and female diners, but their table had been arranged that way. Naomi and Kyle had been seated together, or more accurately, the two couples had been with Melissa on one end of the foursome and Kyle on the other.

  Melissa looked at the array of cutlery dubiously, wondered whether she could possibly use the napkin which had been so carefully folded to stand at her place setting, and then tried to work out the best way of sitting in the dress Mitsuko had bought for her. It was a fairly simple, ankle-length, strapless gown in red. Melissa had been sort of impressed with the lack of nudity. It did have a split up the left leg wide enough that her leg was exposed almost to the hip in its entirety and there was a black mesh V-shape let into the top to show off more cleavage. Basically, however, Melissa considered herself well covered. Making sure her skirt covered her panties when she sat down was, however, a priority. She managed it well enough.

  As best as Melissa could tell, Courtney was not wearing any underwear. It was a little difficult to tell. Her gown was more of a mini; at least, the front hem was very short even if the back fell as a train to pool on the floor behind her. The dress was sleeveless and had a fairly high collar, but the back dipped almost to her buttocks, making wearing anything under it difficult. The fabric was red with a brocade pattern woven into it, stabilised by a dense mesh which gave strong hints of the body beneath without showing anything. Still, it did not show anything resembling panties either…

  Leaning to her right, Melissa checked the name on the seating card beside her seat. She made a strangled sort of noise which caused Naomi to raise an eyebrow in her direction. She pointed at the card. ‘Colonel Myron Seward Voll,’ she explained.

  Naomi considered this for a second. ‘Don’t know the man. I only guaranteed you wouldn’t be talking to vice admirals or generals.’

  Melissa glowered.

  Shinden Alliance School of Sorcery.

  ‘Think they’ve started yet?’ Mitsuko asked. She was up to her chest in the sento. It was early; they had not had their evening meal yet, but there were reasons for being in the sento.

  ‘I’d imagine they’re getting seated for the meal,’ Nava replied. ‘There are probably going to be speeches. I see something like that having speeches. Long speeches.’

  ‘I’d imagine you’re right.’ Short pause. ‘It means we have the house to ourselves until morning.’

  ‘I’m aware.’ Nava knew exactly what her lover was thinking, and she had one small proviso she needed clearing up before she was entirely happy with it. ‘We are going to stop for food at some point, right?’

  ‘Of course. Right after we’ve christened the kitchen.’

  Admiral Aurora Trenton Advanced Training Centre.

  Colonel Myron was in his late thirties and not too hard to talk to. Maybe Melissa had expected senior ASF officers to be more stuck-up. Myron was a strategy instructor at the ATC and seemed pretty down to earth, especially for a Voll. Melissa recalled that one of his family members by the name of Brigitta had been Nava’s understudy in the play the year before, but it turned out that the relationship was distant.

  ‘I don’t suppose you’ve studied much strategy yet,’ Myron said.

  ‘No, sir,’ Melissa replied. ‘I’m support stream, so we don’t get involved with that kind of thing until the last two years. And then it would be an elective. We do small unit tactics, mostly so we know how best to support assault troops.’

  ‘However, Colonel,’ Naomi said, leaning forward to include himself in the conversation, ‘Melissa has proven herself quite capable of handling combat situations already.’

  Both men ignored the reddening of Melissa’s cheeks. ‘She has?’ Myron asked. ‘Since when are we involving students in actual combat?’

  ‘Melissa was involved with the Free Beherbergen incident last summer. Not that she, or anyone else who was there, has ever given me det
ails, but I was informed that she acquitted herself well. There was also an incident in Jukai Forest last autumn. An attack by a group of mercenaries on a school survival field trip. I heard more detail about that. Melissa’s defensive walls saved lives.’

  ‘Force Wall,’ Myron said, nodding with a pleased smile on his face. ‘That’s an underestimated spell. I’m not a sorcerer myself, but the best use of magicians in tactical and strategic manners is something we’re constantly researching and experimenting with. Of course, a derivative of the Force Wall spell is used in many of our ships, but practical deployment of defensive barriers in ground combat is still something we haven’t really optimised.’

  ‘M-mine are pretty weak,’ Melissa said, hoping to lower the enthusiasm level a little. ‘One bullet will normally bring one down. They’re more useful at keeping people out of an area than stopping gunfire or anything more dramatic.’

  Myron’s eyes narrowed a little. ‘And yet, I suspect you’ve come up with a way of making them more useful against armed assailants if that story about Jukai is correct.’

  ‘Uh, well, if I layer a lot of them… It was only really practical because my friend was taking care of the mercenaries while I shielded our position.’

  ‘Your friend?’

  ‘Nava Greyling Sonkei. She’s–’

  ‘I’ve heard of Nava Greyling,’ Myron said. He looked past Melissa to Naomi. ‘You know her?’

  ‘We’re acquainted,’ Naomi replied. He waved a hand toward Courtney. ‘Courtney Martell was the captain of the SSF until this term. She recommended Nava as her replacement. Melissa has, I believe, been Nava’s friend since they both started at SAS-squared.’

  ‘We met on the first day of last year,’ Melissa confirmed. ‘I hope you haven’t been hearing bad things about Nava, Colonel?’

  ‘Not at all,’ Myron replied. ‘If you’re going through SAS-squared with her, I think it will be very interesting to see what you do after graduation.’

  Melissa swallowed. ‘N-no pressure then.’

  Shinden Alliance School of Sorcery.

  ‘Which rooms are left?’ Mitsuko asked.

  ‘Basically, the bedrooms,’ Nava replied, ‘but I think we should avoid Mel’s and Courtney’s rooms.’